Of Beards, Military Protocol, And Outrage

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Swinger

I met HRH the Duke of Kent at Thiepval for the 75th anniversary remembrance of the Somme offensive in 1991. He was in his Field Marshal's uniform, with beard. And he looked just like King George V did when the Thiepval Memorial was unveiled in 1920. The protocol has always been that royals are entitled to wear beards with Army uniform. It saddens me that in these present times, and in remembrance of our recent past, people can find no better outlet for their indignation than a tradition that has been established for more than a century.

LE

I met HRH the Duke of Kent at Thiepval for the 75th anniversary remembrance of the Somme offensive in 1991. He was in his Field Marshal's uniform, with beard. And he looked just like King George V did when the Thiepval Memorial was unveiled in 1920. The protocol has always been that royals are entitled to wear beards with Army uniform. It saddens me that in these present times, and in remembrance of our recent past, people can find no better outlet for their indignation than a tradition that has been established for more than a century.

ADC

Lets not forget we have had many a bearded Army hero in the past. Until the mid-19th century, facial hair was unusual in the British Army except for the infantry pioneers, who traditionally grew beards. A small minority of officers wore moustaches. During the 1800s, the attitude to facial hair changed as a result of the Indian and Asian Wars. Many Middle Eastern and Indian cultures associated facial hair with wisdom and power. As a result, facial hair, moustaches and side whiskers in particular, became increasingly common on British soldiers stationed in Asia. In the mid-19th century, during the Crimean War, all ranks were encouraged to grow large moustaches, and full beards during winter.

After the Crimean war, regulations were introduced that prevented serving soldiers of all ranks from shaving above their top lip, in essence making moustaches compulsory for those who could grow them, although beards were later forbidden. This remained in place until 1916, when the regulation was abolished by an Army Order dated 6 October 1916. It was issued by Lieutenant General Sir Nevil Macready, Adjutant General to the Forces, who loathed his own moustache and immediately shaved it off. However, there is considerable evidence in photographs and film footage that the earlier regulations were widely ignored and that many British soldiers of all ranks were clean-shaven even before 1916. This was often because the penalty for not growing a moustache was rarely enforced, as it wouldn't hold in hold in civilian authority over military court for court-martialling.

Bears can be smart and are allowed on religious grounds. Currently the hipster trend is very popular and by allowing serving soldiers to grow beards it may be one of those things that enhances both retention and recruitment. So why don't we just have a grown up decision that beards can be sported with the proviso that they can also be shaved off if required for operational reasons - although I hear that a good dollop of Vaseline(R) does the trick with a respirator if push comes to shove.

LE

LE

When I was in Belize, we did not shave in the jungle, as there was risk of infection. My beard grew in ginger, to complement my dark head of hair and blond eyebrows. I had to rub in extra cam-cream to stop the lads noticing and taking the piss.

LE

LE

Lets not forget we have had many a bearded Army hero in the past. Until the mid-19th century, facial hair was unusual in the British Army except for the infantry pioneers, who traditionally grew beards. A small minority of officers wore moustaches. During the 1800s, the attitude to facial hair changed as a result of the Indian and Asian Wars. Many Middle Eastern and Indian cultures associated facial hair with wisdom and power. As a result, facial hair, moustaches and side whiskers in particular, became increasingly common on British soldiers stationed in Asia. In the mid-19th century, during the Crimean War, all ranks were encouraged to grow large moustaches, and full beards during winter.

After the Crimean war, regulations were introduced that prevented serving soldiers of all ranks from shaving above their top lip, in essence making moustaches compulsory for those who could grow them, although beards were later forbidden. This remained in place until 1916, when the regulation was abolished by an Army Order dated 6 October 1916. It was issued by Lieutenant General Sir Nevil Macready, Adjutant General to the Forces, who loathed his own moustache and immediately shaved it off. However, there is considerable evidence in photographs and film footage that the earlier regulations were widely ignored and that many British soldiers of all ranks were clean-shaven even before 1916. This was often because the penalty for not growing a moustache was rarely enforced, as it wouldn't hold in hold in civilian authority over military court for court-martialling.

Bears can be smart and are allowed on religious grounds. Currently the hipster trend is very popular and by allowing serving soldiers to grow beards it may be one of those things that enhances both retention and recruitment. So why don't we just have a grown up decision that beards can be sported with the proviso that they can also be shaved off if required for operational reasons - although I hear that a good dollop of Vaseline(R) does the trick with a respirator if push comes to shove.

LE

This remained in place until 1916, when the regulation was abolished by an Army Order dated 6 October 1916. It was issued by Lieutenant General Sir Nevil Macready, Adjutant General to the Forces, who loathed his own moustache and immediately shaved it off......

LE

When I was in Belize, we did not shave in the jungle, as there was risk of infection. My beard grew in ginger, to complement my dark head of hair and blond eyebrows. I had to rub in extra cam-cream to stop the lads noticing and taking the piss.